(written by Islander)
In celebration of today’s high holiday, and with heads bowed in the direction of the Waldos, we’re hosting a rare Sunday premiere. Blaze and praise!
What we’ve got for you is the premiere of an attention-grabbing animated video for “halfTONE“, the latest single by our friends in Of Wolves, a musically always-hard-to-pin-down but always-captivating band from Chicago whose heads and hearts always seem to be in the right place in turbulent times.
Like many of us, Of Wolves are fucking pissed-off about the fascist direction of the country, but the song they’ve chosen to feature for this 420 isn’t a rager — at least not lyrically. Lyrically, it speaks of a rising up from low places, a protagonist who breaks through to the sun with a smile on his face, becoming one with space.
The rhythmic strumming and haunted vocals in the song’s overture immediately create an aura of mystery, perhaps an invocation of realms above the earth. But soon enough the rhythm becomes a slugger, the drums snap their jaws, and the vocals explode with grit and blood and then intensely wail in harrowing harmonies.
There’s ragged torment in the vocals even as the music shimmers and soars, but the music itself also sounds desperate and dark, and the feverish, muscle-moving throb of the overture, when it returns, takes on a different and darker cast itself.
All of which is to say that the song itself might not be what the lyrics would lead you to expect, but like most of what this band do, the song will get under your skin.
“halfTONE” is available as a digital single at Bandcamp:
https://ofwolves.bandcamp.com/track/halftone
https://linktr.ee/ofwolves
https://www.facebook.com/ofWOLVES/
And finally, if you’re within reach of Reggie‘s in Chicago tonight, Of Wolves are celebrating 420 by headlining a show there with four other bands – doors at 7:
